(a) Cheating – This refers to conduct during quizzes and examinations that shall include utilizing written information not specifically permitted by the instructor. It shall also include receiving written or oral information from any person other than the instructor. It shall further include stealing, buying, selling, or using any copy of an examination before it has been administered.

(b) Plagiarism – This refers to submitting, as a student’s own work, material obtained from another source without indicating the source from which it was obtained. It further includes letting another person compose or rewrite a student’s written assignment.

(c) Illegal Use of Old Laboratory Reports – This comprises the copying of an old report belonging to another person and submitting the work as one’s own. A student who assists in the form of dishonesty mentioned above shall be considered equally as guilty as the student who accepted such assistance.

Definition of a “Student”: For the purpose of this policy a “student” is defined as any person who is admitted, enrolled or registered for study at the University of South Carolina for any academic period. Persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing student relationship with, or an educational interest in, the University of South Carolina are considered “students”. A person shall also be considered a student during any period that follows the end of either the Spring or Fall semester that the student has completed until the last day for registration for the next succeeding semester. A person shall also be considered a student during any period while the student is under suspension from the institution or when the person is attending or participating in any activity preparatory to the beginning of school including, but not limited to orientation, placement testing, and registration.

A student who possesses evidence that one of the offenses listed above has been committed and who does not report the offense to the appropriate authority shall be considered guilty of an infraction of academic discipline.

Enforcement of Student Academic Responsibility – Students who have committed infractions of the Student Academic Responsibility principle will be heard before the Academic Affairs Committee.

Reporting Procedures – Infractions of academic discipline may be reported in writing to the chair or any member of the committee by the student committing the infraction, any student observing the infraction, or the faculty member observing the infraction. It shall be the duty of any member to whom report of an infraction has been made to submit the same in writing to the chair of the committee as soon as possible.

Hearing Procedures

(a) Committee – (1) The Academic Affairs Committee shall conduct hearings when circumstances warrant such action and determine appropriate penalties. (2) The chair shall be responsible for conducting the hearing, insuring that proper records are kept, informing the accused of the decision, and reporting the decision to the dean and to the associate dean whose responsibility it shall be to insure that proper record notations are made. (3) The student charged with infractions will be sent 80 written notice, by the chair, of the charges against at least seven days before the time scheduled for the hearing. This notice will include the specific charges; the time and place of the hearing; notice of rights to bring witnesses, question witnesses, and have representation, if desired; notice of the right to appeal to the dean, the president of the University and then the Board of Trustees in that order.

(b) Hearing (1) The accused will be present for all testimony, be permitted to bring witnesses, to question the witnesses against, and to make any statement desired bearing on the matter being discussed. (2) The decision as to guilt (unless admitted) and the penalty will be made in closed session and then the accused will be informed by the committee in open session of its decision. (3) All hearing proceedings will be kept confidential.

(c) Post-Hearing (1) The chair will inform the dean and the associate dean of the penalty imposed whenever a student has been found guilty. (2) The associate dean will be responsible for notifying the student in writing of the decision of the committee, informing the appropriate administrative officials, and for making the proper record entries and taking the appropriate action on the penalty.

Penalties – The following action may be taken against a student who is found guilty of an infraction of academic discipline for the first time:

(a) Warning – not entered on permanent academic record

(b) Probation – entered on permanent academic record

(c) Recommendation to professor that F be awarded in course.

In serious cases even a first offender may be suspended. A student guilty of an infraction of academic responsibility for a second time, shall, except in extraordinary cases, be suspended from the University.

NOTE: A student who has violated or who has been charged with the violation of any regulation of the University may not be permitted to withdraw from the University without the permission of the chair of the committee. A notation of the circumstances under which the accused student was permitted to withdraw shall be entered in the minutes of the committee. The withdrawal of a student with or without such approval shall not deprive the committee of the power to hear charges, and in the event the student be found guilty, the committee may restrict readmission on such terms or under such circumstances as it may prescribe.

Student Responsibility – (a) Each student is responsible for abiding by the Code of Student Academic Responsibility at all times. In the classroom, it applies in all academic activities, whether a faculty member is involved or not. (b) Any student who observes or learns of another student’s violation of the Code of Student Academic Responsibility may request the student to report to the instructor of the course, and if this is not done, shall report the matter to the instructor of the course or the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.

Faculty Responsibility – Each faculty member also has responsibilities with respect to this code. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to: (a) The promotion of conduct conducive to the effective functioning of the code. Primarily, the faculty member should conduct classes and examinations in such manner as to minimize opportunities and temptations for cheating. (b) A clear exposition to students of the values as well as the obligation of the code. (c) A demonstration of interest in the proper functioning of the code. (d) The use of uniform procedures in handling violations of the code, including the submission of all violations to the Committee on Student Responsibility.

Additional Rules – The committee shall make such additional rules as are necessary, so long as they do not contravene any of the provisions of this code, to carry out its function, with the approval of the University-wide committee